Who do I want to sit next to at the table? Uncle Ed who likes to keep up with politics, or Grandma Jane who likes to know what her friends' grandchildren are up to? Maybe it'll be my aunt Lisa who always wants to know, "What are you doing with your life?"

Will the witty comments come before or after Cousin Mike has a few drinks?

Mapping out when and where to strategically place myself depends entirely on what kind of conversation and audience I want.

It’s a process. So is mapping out your social media. This article reveals a few social media marketing tips you can use when communicating in your various channels.

Different Social Media Sites Cater To Certain Types of People

I love my family, but that doesn’t mean talking politics with my free spirit aunt will capture her attention and grow our relationship.

Different sites cater to different interests so they attract different audiences. Understanding the audience that these sites attract and why, is key to having an effective social media strategy.

The Best Social Media Blueprint? Your Family.

Facebook: Mom, Grandma, Aunts.

They love us and they just want to feel like we still need them-even if you are 32, completely independent, and pay your own taxes.

However, this makes Facebook a gold mine for resources.

Sharing content with personal networks is one of the most efficient marketing strategies a business can practice. One share from Aunt Susie and the next thing you know, her ex-boyfriend from high school who is now the COO of a distribution company sees your post. Mixed with nostalgia of the good ole days and curiosity about your services, he looks up your company and BAM! You have a new lead.

LinkedIn is essentially an online newspaper and business professionals treat it as such. Rather than grabbing the morning paper on their way into work, they sit down at their desks and log onto LinkedIn. (Hint: this means the morning is prime posting time for LinkedIn.)

The genius of marketing on LinkedIn is that it has a very specific niche. Business. This makes it an ideal location to showcase your abilities directly to people who want your services.

Content on LinkedIn should be professional and clearly demonstrate an understanding of the industry you’re targeting. If there were ever a place to use jargon, this is it.

Twitter: Your witty little brother.

They day I realized my little brother could win an argument against me was the day I downloaded the Twitter app. It’s short, sweet, and to the point, all while somehow being wittier than its older sister, Facebook.

Look at Twitter as a practice field. You only have 140 characters to convince your audience to read your post. Find your game plan and execute it. Highlight the most attention-grabbing aspect of your post. Use strong keywords. Tag. Hashtag. Tag. Hashtag.

Think: “what will get my little brother to realize that he still has something to learn from me and my advanced wisdom?”

If you have a little brother, then you’ll remember how they always seemed to linger around? Twitter is the same way. The Twitter faithful are always scrolling. So, post often.

Instagram: Your older sister that you have a love/hate relationship with.

She taught you a lot. She also made it clear that her knowledge of trends would always rank superior to yours.

Instagram is your chance to show off how cool you and your business are. Make fun graphics, goofy videos, and artsy photos. Draw in the eyes of businesses you look up to.

If you can impress your older sister, you can impress other businesses.

Content and Instagram also have a love/hate relationship. You don’t want your post to be too wordy because that isn’t the point of Instagram. Give your audience a sneak peek. Long enough to get to the point, short enough to keep them wanting more. By providing a link to your blog in your bio, Instagram can become a sturdy bridge between social media and your site.

Bottom Line

Family can be exhausting. So can social media. But, having a deep understanding of each site and its audiences makes posting a breeze. In today’s day and age, social media is a necessary marketing tool. Finding the strategy that works for you is vital to growing your business.

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Understanding how to communicate on your social networks is critical, but don't underestimate this medium when it comes to getting new customers.